


The Captains

by sobefarrington



Category: The Avengers (2012), Torchwood
Genre: Captains, Jack Harkness/Steve Rogers - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-03
Updated: 2013-10-17
Packaged: 2017-11-20 04:25:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/581283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sobefarrington/pseuds/sobefarrington
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack Harkness was Steve Rogers true love. His voice was the last Steve heard before his plane went down. And he was the first thing Steve thought of when he woke 70 years later. His heart broken at the thought of never seeing him again.<br/>But Steve didn't know Jack's secret. Not yet anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

  * For [music4life6661](https://archiveofourown.org/users/music4life6661/gifts).



He had been thinking of Jack when his plane went down. He knew it should have been Peggy, but it wasn’t. It was never Peggy. It was always Jack.

No one knew of their love affair. Nineteen forties Brooklyn was not the place to be holding hands with another man on the street, but it was how Steve felt. Like Jack was the only person who would ever remain in his heart. And knowing that he felt the same way just overwhelmed Steve somewhat.

The plane was plummeting, approaching the ground at incredible speeds, and his heart was in his throat. Not at the idea of dying, but at the thought of not making it to his date with Jack. His heart wept as Jack's voice cut in over Peggy's on the intercom.

"Steve." his voice urgent and strained.

"Jack." Steve countered, eyes beginning to well as he choked. "I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry." Jack almost cut his friend off.

There was silence for a moment as Steve contemplated what Jack's apology meant.   
But Steve couldn't speak the words. The words he wanted to, the words to respond to it. He wanted to tell him how much he cared for him, how much he needed him to be a part of his life. To breathe in his scent in the morning. To hold him through the night. He needed Jack in every moment of his life. But he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Hey," Steve managed to speak "We're still on for next weekend right? Drinks at that bar downtown."

Jack laughed through the tears. 

"Yeah. I'll teach you how to pick up the ladies."

Steve laughed too, tears leaving tracks on his cheeks now.

"I'll meet you there. Eight o'clock. Don't be-"

Steve was cut off, his voice disappearing as his plane hit the Earth. 

"Steve?" Jack called out, unable to control his emotions. "Steve!"

But his pleas went unanswered, and there was no denying it. The world had lost a true hero. And even though they'd send a search party for Captain Rogers, there was something in his heart that told Jack he would never see the love of his life again.


	2. The Reunion

The Captains: Chapter Two - Home Coming

When Steve woke up, it was his first thought.

Jack.

And when Fury told him he'd slept for 70 years, it was his only thought.

Jack.

He eased into asking about him, finding out about Peggy first, and happy to hear she was still living out her life, happy in her retirement and eager to meet her son Phil, who Fury mentioned had kept a close eye on the sleeping captain. But the news on Jack Harkness was less than kind.

S.H.E.I.L.D. had kept a close eye on the man, working with him on a few occasions, but they lost contact for a few years, until Jack turned up on the wrong side of a warehouse raid in Queens. They had never found his body, but from what the agents had described in the reports, there was no way he could have survived his injuries.

It pained him beyond words to think of the love of his life six feet deep. He wondered how he spent his life. How he lived out his days and nights. If he ever married and had kids. If he found another partner to go for drinks and.. fondue... with. If he found happiness before his last breath.

Steve sighed and resigned a thought. He only hoped the rest of his life passed quickly, so he could join Jack in the afterlife together.

 

It had been some years now that Steve had been re-introduced to the world. He'd fought Loki with the Avengers, saved the planet on two or more occasions, and was once again in Brooklyn doing some routine investigations for Fury when it happened.

Steve was with Clint in the offices of the Department of Justice. They were looking into some experimenting the DOJ had done on juries the last few months. Steve didn't get into it much with Fury when it came to simple tasks such as finding files. No one was getting hurt in acquiring information.

Clint broke into the building, having more skills than just the archery under his belt. They found the file room easy enough, and Steve and Clint went to work looking for what they needed.

But they weren't alone.

"Did you hear that?" Steve asked his partner in crime.

"What?" Clint didn't even look up from the drawer he was rifling through.

Steve hmmed to himself. If Clint didn't hear it, it probably was just his mind going. After all, he was 90 years old.

"Nothing."

 

Ianto stood against the wall just outside the file room. He saw the shadows moving inside, searching - no doubt - for what he came for. He tried Jack on the coms.

"Jack." he waited. "Jack, can you hear me?"

Ianto had a hard time finding compatible frequencies for their coms in America. Most of their equipment was regulated for British wavelengths. American cell towers just killed their equipment.

Ianto cursed a quick and quite bloody hell to himself before drawing his gun. He kept it low and in front, pointed to the ground, and took a deep, concentrated breath. He was going to have to face the men on his own.

After a moment of concentration, he turned, kicked the door open and aimed at the first figure he made out. A tall man, exquisitely built and dressed in blue.

"Stop. Put your hands where I can see them."

Clint, who was never without his arrows, instinctively went to reach for them, but Steve sensed it and was quick to call out.

"Hawk. Don't."

It didn't faze Steve that a gun was pointed at his head. He'd had worse. He quit rifling through the yellow folders and showed the man with the accent his palms. Clint huffed and did the same.

"Now, slowly. Come toward me."

Ianto showed little fear. He was learning, and had become a quick study. These men were both strong, muscular and looked as though they were trained to kill. Ianto felt very inferior to the men who beat him to his mission. 

He kept the gun directed on the bigger of the two as they found their way back through the door and into the hall. 

Steve noticed the bank of elevators at the end of the hall to his left. One of the three had its numbers lit and it was slowly descending to their floor.

"I think we might have company coming." he mentioned casually, gesturing to behind the man in the well tailored suit.

"My partner. My Boss. I'm sure he'll be happy to see we have guests."

Ianto gave the big man a half smile. He already didn’t like him too much.

There was a quiet 'ding' as the elevator reached its destination and the doors opened to a somewhat tall, rambling man in a familiar trench coat.

"Sorry Ianto, the coms cut out when I was in the elevator and all I got was-" 

Jack froze, having made it half way down the hall before noticing the men Ianto had up against the south wall. One he'd never seen before, but under normal circumstances would have considered worthy without a second thought. But normal was so far out of the question at that moment. Because next to the man in black leather was the face Jack has longed to see so many times. The face of a man Jack wished to hold in his arms, a face he wanted nothing more than to kiss and caress and explore. A man he'd waited many lifetimes to see once more. A man who was lost to him until that very instant. A man whose loss affected Jack so deeply. To see he was alive brought back so many buried emotions, and lit fire to so many new ones. Jack couldn't find words to express everything he was feeling. He knew he needed to say something, standing in silence drawing attention to himself, but just what was the question. He was at such a loss.

"-static."


	3. Chapter 3

Jack's gaze bore through Steve, pulling at his aching soul. He wanted to leap at the man, squeeze him until they both burst. Strip the man of every article of clothing and fuck him in the second floor hallway of the Department of Justice building. But there were other people in the said hallway. And there were questions that should probably be answered first before they got to the point.

"Jack." Steve managed, his own shock preventing him from making coherent statements.

Steve's deep, resounding voice caused Jack to buckle some, a stray tear finding its way to the surface. He made no attempt to hide his emotions, letting it roam freely down his cheek. Ianto swallowed hard at the persistent silence. Jack had waited so many years to hear that voice again. And there it was, calling his name.

"It's really you." he felt the need to reassure himself.

"Yes, it's really me."

Jack's eyes fluttered about the man's features, looking for an answer on the surface. But there was nothing different about him.

"You know this man?" Ianto questioned Jack, the answer obvious from their exchange.

"You can put the gun down Ianto. Steve's not going to hurt anyone. Although I can't say the same for leather pants behind him."

Steve spoke on Clint's behalf.

"He's not going to hurt anyone."

Ianto holstered his pistol, still with his eye on Steve as Jack closed the gap between them. Jack made the first move, offering his hand to the man he once loved to shake. Steve accepted the gesture, and their palms touched. Jack inhaled a ragged breath and closed the remaining distance, reaching his arm about Steve's shoulder and pulling him into his personal space.

Steve buried his face in Jack's shoulder, drying his eyes with the coat, breathing in deep to gather his scent. Jack had always smelled so good.

"Fury told me you were dead." Steve managed to whisper into the other man's neck.

"I.. well.. It’s hard to explain. How did... I mean- You were lost in the ice Steve. We assumed the worst when we couldn't find you."

Which meant they had looked. Jack has looked for him.

"I, ugh... a few years ago. They unfroze me. It's a long story."

"Is this at all awkward for you there Suit Man?" Clint asked, having to lean around the two men still locked in an embrace to see the face of Ianto, stern and enraged.

"It's Ianto. And you have no idea."

Clint smiled as he repositioned himself to get a better look at the scene, shuffling over a few feet. Steve and Jack parted, both taking space next to their partners in crime. Their awkward smiles to each other said it all, and both Clint and Ianto knew there was more to their relationship than they wanted to let on.

"What are you boys here for?"

Clint furrowed his eyebrows and looked Jack over as he spoke.

"Secret Mission."

"You aren't perhaps looking for a file on Judge Reynolds are you?"

Steve shook his head. He'd asked Jack once if he was psychic and he denied it furiously. Steve always thought he was lying about it.

"How could you possibly know that." Steve asked, half impressed and half angered.

Jack pulled a black envelope from inside his coat. It was marked Reynolds, Marcus Ian with a red X in one corner. It was clearly something that wasn't supposed to be seen by just anyone.

"Because we're here for it too."

Clint was concerned. He didn't know Jack at all, and he didn't completely trust Steve's instincts about a man he hadn't seen in 70 years and presumed dead until just minutes ago. Chances are, if he'd faked his death there was a reason for it. Clint didn't trust anyone who faked their death and proceeded to look that good almost a century later. As far as Clint was concerned Jack was bad news. And he having what they came for was the worst news possible.

It took less than a third of a second, Clint's swift movements pulled the arrow from his back with one hand while the other took grip on the bow. He aimed for the center of Jack's chest. Ianto stood by watching, and Steve instantly slid into Clint's line of fire.

"Barton No."

"You can't trust him Cap. Look at him. He looks like he's 40 and you knew him 70 years ago. It's not even possible. He has the file. He has what we came for. We can't take the Judge without that. He doesn't look like the kind of man who will hand it over if we ask nicely."

"I'm not." Jack agreed.

"I didn't say I trusted him with the file. I'm just saying we don't have to resort to violence."

"There's nothing else to resort to."

Clint moved a hair to the left, pulling back and releasing the arrow around the Captain, leaving the weapon in the middle of Jack's chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an old, quickly written and unfinished fic I had laying around on my hard drive. Someone had once asked for this pairing and I quickly threw it together. I'm sorry it ends this way. Maybe if there's interest I'll try to finish it.


	4. The Reanimation of Jack

Steve's immediate reaction was one of terror. Clint didn't feel anything other than impatient and Ianto... Ianto was almost indifferent.

Steve was kneeling over Jack's body, hands hovering and moving rapidly, looking for something to do or some way to fix him. But it was clear that the shot to the chest had killed him.

Clint stood with his arms crossed, the file already in his hands, waiting for Steve to get over himself so they could carry on.

Ianto stood on the other side of his boss' body, opposite to Steve, and waited for the muscular man to finish panicking. The file was on the floor, Jack’s fingers resting peacefully atop it. Clint eyed it while waiting for the right moment to pounce on it. Ianto pulled his gun on him without looking to the man.

“It’ll be the last thing you do Leather Pants.”

Steve didn’t try to hide the tears. There was so much he wanted to know. How Jack had survived the warehouse attempt on his life. What he had done in the years since. If he’d found someone special to spend his life with. Why he still looked so good for his age. All these things and so much more he wanted to learn, and now he’d never have the chance to.

He rested his forehead on Jack’s chest, tears staining the man’s jacket as Ianto bent over to pull the arrow out from his boss’ chest. He grumbled in Steve’s direction, but the Captain missed it completely. Clint, however, watched the entire scene play out and smiled to himself, being the only one in the room not part of the triangle emerging.

“You don’t seem too hurt over the loss of your boss there Suit Man.”

Ianto huffed.

“Just wait for it.”  
It wasn’t more than a minute later than Jack’s body popped up from the floor, his limbs reanimated for a moment before coming to rest again. His eyes opened and he intook a lungful of air, quick and sharp, before he started to breathe again, clutching the wound slowing healing in his chest.

Steve shot backwards, frightened of Jack’s reanimated corpse and looking for safety. He pushed himself up when he reached Clint’s side. 

Hawkeye had already took aim again, unsure of the situation. 

Ianto bent down to Jack’s side, being where Steve couldn’t, and lent a hand helping his boss to his feet.

“Yeah, “ Jack addressed to Clint “because that worked so well the first time.”

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT’S HOLY JUST HAPPENED!” Steve screamed, not caring if he drew outside attention to them.

Jack rubbed the sore spot where the arrow used to be and looked to Ianto.

“Listen,” he turned back to Steve “I’ll explain anything you want to know, but I need a word with my partner before I do. Give us a minute?”

Steve didn’t speak. He couldn’t find words he remembered the pronunciation to. He nodded as Ianto bent to pick up the file. Jack wanted his friend to wait for him. And there was no way Leather Pants was going to leave without the file. That was everyone’s insurance policy.

“Meet in the lobby. Fifteen minutes.” Ianto offered on their behalf, Jack exasperating all his energy into breathing and being upright.

“But, what about-“

“Don’t worry. It’s clear.”

Ianto and Jack turned towards the elevators, pressing the large L button once inside the doors. Ianto looked to his boss and boyfriend. There was much explaining to do, and not just to the Muscles they left on the third floor.


	5. Explaining To Do

Ianto wait until they were between the second and first floor to push the large red button on the panel of the elevator. The button typically reserved for emergencies.

The giant coffin came to a quiet stop and a second set of lights illuminated in the ceiling, indicating where the escape hatch was if the occupants required it. Jack made a note of this. Just in case.

“I’m not saying you don’t deserve answers,” Jack started.

“But you’re not going to give them to me are you.”

Ianto was used to being lied to. Everyone on the team had secrets, including Mr. Jones, but he didn’t keep anything from Jack. His personal life was open to his partner. 

Though they had never discussed in detail former lovers or conquests, Ianto knew Jack had been with a lot of people. And things. He’d had centuries of bedding men and women and aliens. But Jack had always been under the impression that they’d never run into any of them.

And now that they had, and Ianto had seen Jack’s reaction to the reunion, he demanded answers.

“I saw the way you two looked at each other. And what that other man said about it being 70 years since you’ve seen each other? Plus they’re looking for this file,” Ianto raised it into the air with a shake “the same one we were hunting down. At the same time none the less. They know more than most Jack. And now they’ve seen you come back from the dead. How are we-“

“No Ianto.”

Ianto stopped for a minute, eyes bugging from his head.

“No what?”

“We’re not going to handle them.” Jack stood straight, the sore spot he’d been rubbing finally vanishing from his chest. “They don’t need to be handled. We don’t know why they want the file. I doubt they know about the rift, let alone that the judge fell through it. I don’t think they’re going to be much of a problem.”

“You’re not addressing the whole situation.”

“You want to know about my relationship with Steve.”

“He was all over you when he thought you were dead.”

“As I recall you were once too before you knew.”

“You guys were together.”

“As together as we could be in the 40’s.”

Ianto gave a short exhale and shifted his weight. The elevator wobbled ever so slightly.

“What’s that mean.”

“We never fucked, but I really wanted to. Things were really different then and he died before we could truly be together. Is that what you’re after here Ianto? You know the jealous boyfriend title doesn’t suit you.”

Ianto clenched his jaw tight, not wanting to speak the wrong words. He moved to press the large red emergency stop button once more, which brought the elevator to a start again before he sniffled and returned to his post, leaning against the back wall rail.

“I was trying to get at where we stood, but you made it quite clear.”


	6. Worth The Price of Admission

Clint pushed the door open to the stair well. It was only three flights, but he was still eager to set the pace, wanting to get as much information out of his comrade as possible before reaching the lobby. He made sure he was in front of Steve when they started heading down.

“So, you knew this trench coat zombie man.” He started off easy.

“I… yeah. During the war. We were friends.”

Clint smiled.

“Friends like Nat and I are friends or friends like Bruce and I are friends?”

Steve hung his head and tried to breathe as he thought.

“We were .. um… we were just friends.”

“You know this is two thousand and twelve right? Like, no one is gonna give a crap if you’d rather sleep with men than women.”

Steve didn’t acknowledge Clint’s awareness of the situation. He was unsure of how the man figured it out in the short time they were in that hallway, but he had. Steve was fine with his confusion on his sexual identity. And he didn’t really care what other people thought of him if they were basing their judgements on him by what he did in the bedroom. But it had been a different time when he knew Jack, and though his history in the world had been short since his recovery from the ice, he sensed Jack’s had been longer. Probably by a significant amount. And that worried him.

“Cap? You know I was just teasing you, right? How you feel about this man doesn’t change your position in the group or how we feel about you.” Clint offered when the silence continued on for longer than he’d expected.

“I know Clint. Thanks. It’s just…”

“Balls to the wall mentally fucked.”

“Something like that I suppose.”

It didn’t take the pair long to reach the lobby. Three flights of stairs were nothing to Captain America and Hawkeye. They waited patiently by the bank of elevators, watching as the number one lit above the door before reaching the L and seeing the two men step out.


	7. Coffee Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint and Ianto hang out together.

The elevator doors opened and Jack and Ianto stepped through. The pair noticed their new old friends already awaiting their arrival. Jack turned to Ianto, stopping the man in his tracks and waiting to speak until he made eye contact.

“Meet me at the diner down the street in an hour with the file.”

All Ianto heard was Jack wanted an hour with his former boyfriend. His heart sank and his stomach turned. He didn’t want to lose Jack to some muscles in a t-shirt.

Jack rested a hand on Ianto shoulder, drawing him in a little deeper until he could feel their souls touching.

“This doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

Ianto gave a muted ‘I know’ as Jack walked off towards Steve, the pair of former friends smiling at each other.

Steve exchanged some words with his Leather friend as Jack closed in on them.

“Why don’t we go for coffee and catch up. There’s a little diner around the corner. Whaddaya say.”

It was clear to Clint that Jack was speaking to Steve and only Steve. The smaller man nudged the Cap and his body jolted forward slightly. Clint’s look was incredibly deceptive. Ianto noticed and made a mental note.

“We’ll meet up later and head back to base.” Clint offered Steve, giving him the initiative to say yes.  
Steve was somewhat worried, but agreed none-the-less. He knew Clint would be watching in case the friendly reunion went sour and he needed an escape plan. But he also knew Clint would be watching and know if it went well and lead to more action than any of them bargained for. He’11 have to keep his wits about him, something he’d had a hard time doing when he first knew Jack Harkness.

Steve and Jack exited the building through the front door, Steve being careful to walk a reasonable distance from his friend’s side. Ianto made an effort not to glare at the pair and Clint snickered at The Suit’s jealousy. He himself headed for the door not a moment later, calling back to Ianto as he reached the exit.

“Come on Suit, whaddaya say we spy on them.”

 

. - . - . - . - . - .

The diner was on the corner of Lincoln and Delaware. A sunny little corner of the city where the afternoon light would warm the neighbourhood. The large panes of glass let in the bulk of the light and created a cozy atmosphere.

Clint and Ianto sat on iron patio chairs outside the Starbucks across the street. There was a lot about Ianto that Clint had learned during their time together at the Starbucks. Like that the man in the suit spent a lot of time ordering and drinking coffee. Much more than Clint had.

Ianto smiled at the one-up he had in the Starbucks. He watched for some moments as Clint struggled to order a simple coffee. The lingo spoken by the barista and the menu board were overwhelming him with options. He was about ready to pull the small pistol he concealed in his boot when The Suit stepped in.

“Mind if I?”

Clint waved a hand as Ianto ordered first. He wasn’t even sure what the man had asked for, but the moment the words started flying in their sing-song tones the people behind the counter began to shuffle. Machines turned on and off and the smell of fresh-roasted coffee beans started to stink up the place. Clint was partly bugged and slightly impressed. He didn’t want this guy to best him at anything.

And then Ianto turned to Clint and gave him a stare. It wasn’t an evil look, and it didn’t have a trace of arrogance about it. It was simply a look that tried to pick him apart. It lasted a flash and then he turned back to the woman at the cash. The Suit spoke another five or six words and the people started to shuffle again, this time in a different pattern and a different smell took over the small shop. It was a richer scent that smelled more like home to Clint. 

Both drinks arrived at almost the same time and Ianto paid for each. Clint offered a reserved thank you as his cup was passed to him and they went outside.

He didn’t want to admit it, and he knew he never would. Whatever it was the Suit had ordered for him was mind bending. It was the closest thing to a perfect cup of coffee he had ever had. Even Tony’s coffee, which he had specially blended for the Avengers, wasn’t as good as whatever he was currently drinking.

He waited a moment before asking, and made his best efforts to sound put off when he asked.

“What the hell is this.” 

Clint sniffed the lid to add to the effect, but it wasn’t fooling Ianto. He refrained from looking to Clint and kept his gaze fixed on the two men sitting across the street in the diner. Ianto spoke to his company.

“It’s a black coffee with a butter caramel flavor shot and a sliver of sugar cane.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“So,” Clint began, taking another sip and rolling his eyes with delight. “What’s the deal with your trench coat buddy there.”

“Jack. Captain Jack Harkness. He’s my boss.”

Clint snarked.

“He’s more than just your boss.”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“Oh, it’s not. But it’s your business, and your boss’ business. And right about now it’s become Steve’s business too. I just wanted to point out that that’s something you should be worried about.”

“I don’t need to worry about Jack.” Was the biggest lie Ianto ever told himself.

The two men watched in the distance as their co-workers huddled on opposite sides of the table, Steve’s face still showing an unresolved fear and confusion, while Jack sported a look of something else left unresolved.

"Sure. Sure you don't."


	8. Sneaky Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack explains his secret to Steve. Steve confides in Jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, but I wasn't sure I was even going to be able to finish it. :/  
> I am a bad updater.   
> My profuse apologies.

Jack and Steve sipped at their coffees and waited.

Steve continued to run through plausible scenarios which would explain Jack’s miraculous youth while waiting for Jack to explain he unexplainable.

Jack was just waiting for Steve to ask something.

“Did I ever tell you how gorgeous you are when you over-complicate things?”

Jack was trying to break the ice, but he couldn’t tell if it was working.

Steve looked up and into Jack’s eyes, searching for the truth through the lust.

“How?”

The lust faded and a cold stare crept in. Steve worried he was going to regret asking, but he needed the truth.

“I can’t die.”

Steve leaned back, eager to disbelieve the clear accusation of immortality, but Jack’s expression never faltered. He was serious.

“You don’t die.”

“Can’t. Not don’t. I do die. I’ve died thousands of time. I died today. I just don’t stay dead. Kinda like you just saw, I always come back. In most cases it’s quick. Five minutes and I’m back. There’ve been a few times .. that…… “

Jack’s eyes lost their focus as he went to some dark place only he could see. Steve knew better than to ask about it. He waited for his friend to rejoin their conversation before he spoke.

“So. You’re immortal.”

“I’m immortal.” Jack agreed.

Steve pondered the revelation as the silence found its way back into their conversation. Jack was immortal. He thought about what that actually meant. Not just the never dying part, but the living part. How Jack would have spend the time Steve was gone loving people and losing them and trying to carry on knowing he was in a never-ending cycle of loving people and losing them. Steve could feel his eyes getting wetter, so he shifted the discussion to something a little lighter.

“Do you still work for that organization?”

“Mmm,” Jack put his cup down. “Torchwood. Yes.”

“And that young man with you?”

“Also Torchwood.”

Steve had kept his head down but made eye contact with Jack. He had wanted to see the other man’s face when he answered. He could hear it in Jack’s voice plain as day. The younger man wasn’t just Torchwood. Steve didn’t blame Jack for finding someone after he was gone. They had never actually been together to begin with. But he still felt a pang of jealousy.

“What about that bow-and-arrow friend of yours.”

“Clint. We work together.”

And that was the extent of their relationship.

Jack continued to drink his coffee and note how uncomfortable Steve was. 

Steve Rogers. Captain America. A man once frozen in time. A hero twice in two lifetimes. And here he was, unable to get over the fact that he was in love with a man.

Jack had been born comfortable with who he was. He loved who he loved and he was good with that. He couldn’t recall a time when he wasn’t confident with his sexuality.

But Steve was still struggling, much like he had in the forties. He understood, Jack did. It boiled down to how Steve was raised. As much as Jack wanted to help him, he knew there wasn’t much he could do. Steve would have to come to terms with who he was and who he wanted to be on his own.

“Listen. You know I loved you, and I do still care passionately about you. And I can see you’re having a hard time with this. I didn’t ask you here to try and force you into a relationship with me. I don’t want you to beat yourself up and pick yourself apart over how you feel. So I’m not going to push the issue. If being around me makes you uncomfortable, I’ll leave you alone. I just think you’d be happier if you gave into your feelings. Even if it’s not with me.”

Jack took the last swig of his coffee and started to slide out of the booth. Steve spoke just before Jack could rise to his feet.

“I know who I am, but I do still struggle with how I feel.”

Jack rested back in the booth and called the waitress over, the bell tones in his voice ringing in Steve’s ears.

“Could you put another pot on for us love. I think we’re going to be here for a while.”


	9. Revelations in Story Telling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve figures it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for music4life6661.
> 
> there will be one more chapter. :)

Jack told Steve stories of his impossible adventures. How he spent time in Victorian England, helping to found and set protocols for the original Torchwood, before they had met in Brooklyn. Jack told Steve things he never thought he’d have the chance to. How he hadn’t aged since his travels with his doctor friend. He told Steve about the rift and space travel and about through time.

Steve was in awe of the all of it. The adventures he’d been on, the things he’d seen and done. The people he’d saved. Steve never would have believed a word of it if he hadn’t witnessed for himself Loki’s army descending from the heavens and taking over the city. Jack was truly a remarkable man.

But it still didn’t help him conquer his uncertainty. Even though they had shared a close friendship behind closed door seventy years prior, Jack had grown from that. And Steve’s mixed bag of feelings was not entirely what they used to be. Finally, with a reserved, determined veneer, he asked to hear about Ianto.

“He pursued me to give him a job.” Jack started from the beginning. “He wanted to work for Torchwood. Told me he’d worked for the London office before it was destroyed. I tried to shake him off. Told him I was too busy to talk. That we weren’t looking to hire. But he was persistent. Kept showing up with coffee.”

The waitress appeared almost out of the blue, carrying the remnants of the pot of coffee the boys were working on. She topped up their cups as she passed, clearly listening and not paying any attention at the same time. 

“In the end he’d helped me catch a pterodactyl that had slipped through the rift. Couldn’t deny him the job after that. He’s really very good in the field.” Jack smiled coyly to himself. “And off.”

The insinuation wasn’t lost on Steve, blushing like a schoolgirl in the seat across from Jack.

“He just happened to kiss me. One day at work after everyone had gone. The tension had been there for a little while, but I think he was unsure too. Never been with a man before either. But once he let himself go with it, gave into that kiss. It was magical.”

Jack turned to the window, seeing off into the distance across the street. He could vaguely make out where Ianto and Steve’s friend were sitting, having their coffees and a good conversation. He smiled again, this time it escalating into a near chuckle, as if he were remembering some private joke the pair shared.

“Magical.”

Jack didn’t need to know what was going on across the street. He didn’t really care. He could tell well enough that Ianto was happy. Content. And that sent his heart into a rhythm never to be duplicated.

Steve could see it in him, how his eyes lit up when he was lost in the moment. How the corners of his mouth turned up just slightly more with the thought…. whatever it was. It was kinda how Tony was really. How Stark laughed a little harder when Steve told a joke, especially when it wasn’t funny. Or how he would try a little harder to do things when Steve asked him for a favor. He had found himself really enjoying Tony’s company of late. Spending time catching up on television shows, or the odd time when Tony would ask for Steve’s help in his shop. 

“Huh.”

The sound from Jack brought Steve back to the room. He hadn’t realized how far off he’d gone.

“Who were you thinking about just now.”

“What?” Steve was lost.

“I know that look Cap. You were thinking of someone.”

“A friend of mine.”

“And this friend’s name?”

Steve was silent, refusing to answer while bringing the coffee to his lips.

“I know that look. It’s the same face Ianto pulls when he’s thinking of the night before. Lost in a good memory.”

Steve smiled.

“This person. Fun to be with?”

Steve’s face contorted as he tried to appropriate the answer. Jack cut into his thoughts to give him instruction.

“Don’t pick it apart. Take the context out of it. Do you guys have a laugh when you’re together.”

“I guess so.”

“He funny? Smart? Interesting?”

“Yeah.” Steve smiled.

“Does he care for your friendship? Go out of his way to not hurt you?”

“Yeah, I think, I mean he’s never had to go out of his way.”

“Do find you’ve done the same?”

Steve was silent a minute before answering.

“I can’t say I’ve noticed.”

Jack was quiet, taking in everything Steve had said. He wondered who Steve had been thinking about. He wanted to meet the person who made Steve feel the way Jack felt about Ianto.

“Tell me a story of something you’ve done together. A time he made you laugh.”

“Oh… I don’t know….”

Steve was hesitant, unsure of a specific time he could recall when Tony had done something particularly exciting or brilliant. There were far too many of them. Again, Jack cut off his thoughts.

“You’re over thinking it again. Just pick a time you did something together and tell me about it.”

Steve sighed and remembered the last show they watched together. It had been the premiere of some crime show Tony was really into. Steve hadn’t heard of it before, except from what Tony had been saying about it. The playboy had convinced him to stay behind after the rest of the crew had gone home to watch it. The more he thought about it, he recalled he didn’t take much convincing at all.

Jack paid no attention to Steve as he told his tale, which Steve had to admit made it easier. The spotlight was lifted off of him and onto the small cell phone Jack was playing with. Steve continued on with the story, describing the episode and how excited Tony got when something big happened, or a character he had been waiting for appeared on screen. He laughed at the jokes the actors offered and Steve smiled along with him. Steve remembered the look on Tony’s face in each of these moments, how his joy brought Steve so much happiness, and how the heartbreaking cliffhanger brought tears to both of their eyes. In every moment he remembered he saw Tony’s face, and soon realized that every reaction Steve had that night was a result of Tony’s emotions, not the show. He remembered when it was over, and told Jack in a hush how Tony had hugged him goodbye that night. A proper hug, not one of those sideways back pats, but a bona fide clasp squeeze tight enough that Steve felt their souls connect before they separated. He walked home to his apartment in the dead of night, thinking about it the entire time.

Steve brought himself back from the tale to look to Jack. His friend and finished fiddling with his phone and was watching Steve, their eyes connecting across the table. There was no need for words. Steve had figured it out in a fairy-tale as clearly as Jack saw it in his face. The uncertainty had vanished, leaving Steve feeling a peace he couldn’t describe.

“Magical isn’t it.”

Jack fiddled with his phone a moment more, pressing some invisible buttons before tucking it into a pocket of his jacket. They stood to leave, Jack insisting on paying, leaving the waitress a hefty tip before winking at her on their way out the door.  
They walked across the street, Ianto and Clint having left the patio of the Starbucks to wait for their partners on the sidewalk. Jack and Steve were smiling and sharing a reserved laugh. Clint smiled, but Ianto was stricken with worry.

Jack didn’t waste any time, pulling Ianto into him as soon as he was in reach, caressing his face as their lips touched. 

In public. On a busy street corner.   
So maybe Steve wasn’t completely comfortable with public displays of affection.

“I take it everything is resolved?” Clint asked, setting the pace by starting back down the street.

“Pretty much.” 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The four men walked back to their meeting grounds, standing at the entrance of the building, the world unaware that just over an hour ago it had been broken into and valuable information stolen from inside. It was left up to Clint, the only person not being fogged out by memories of potential lovers or ideas about what to do when they got home.

“So who is taking the file?”


	10. The Final Step is Admitting You Have a Problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was going to do a thing about Jack playing with the phone in this chapter but i forgot..... omfg i forgot.... *facedesk*

In the end they photocopied the file at a Kinko’s around the corner, an idea that could have saved them the afternoon had they thought of it at the start.

But Steve was glad for the afternoon, and if asked the other three would have agreed.

Steve and Jack exchanged numbers and a warm embrace before leaving. Clint and Ianto, having traded emails earlier, offered a wave as they parted ways.

Jack and Ianto headed back from which they came, arm in arm, Jack resisting the urge to tear Ianto’s clothes from his body until they were behind closed doors.

Steve and Clint on the other hand had a fairly silent walk across town.

They swung by Clint’s apartment first, it being not six blocks from the Kinko’s they’d just left.

“You wanna stay for dinner? Watch the game maybe?” Clint offered, partly to be polite and partly because he wanted to find out more to tell Bruce and Natasha in the morning.

Steve shook his head and declined as politely as he could.

“There’s something I need to do before I don’t think I can anymore.”

Clint smiled. He understood. Whatever it was Steve had gathered the courage to do, he wasn’t going to stop him.

Steve walked a few blocks, trying to formulate a plan while letting the courage build and build on itself. He thought about their movie nights. Their early mornings in Tony’s workshop and their elaborate breakfasts after unexpected all nighters. 

His feel picked up the pace as his mind raced onto how protective Tony had been on missions after New York. Steve thought about how he felt when Tony put himself in harm’s way. How scared he was that Tony wouldn’t return. How panicked he felt when Tony had nearly broken his arm on a piece of machinery in his garage.

Steve found himself running at the memory of being in Stark Tower the night of the storm, after they had lost power. When the whole city shut down and Tony was still out at some benefit Stark Industries was funding. How completely useless Steve felt and how utterly impossible it was not to feel sick about it. Steve was unable to reach Tony and Tony had no way getting out of the building until the power had been restored. Eve Jarvis had shut down for a while. He’d recalled how totally relieved he’d felt once the phone lines were restored and Tony was able to call into the rest of the team and assure them he was alright.

Steve hadn’t understood then, but he did now. And he had to say it. Even if Tony didn’t say it back.

That was a possibility, Steve told himself, although his heart refused to hear it. Steve wasn’t going to think about being let down once he’d spoken his peace. He just knew he had to get it off his chest before it bore back into him and refused to surface again.

He arrived at Stark Tower and skidded to a stop. The doors opened for him and Jarvis greeted him.

“Welcome back Captain. Are you in need of assistance. Your heart rate has accelerated.”

“Where’s Tony?”

“His workshop. I shall alert him you are here.”

“NO!” Steve tried to calm himself, slowing to a jog and coming to a full halt at the elevators. He pressed the button and the doors slid open. “Don’t tell him. It’s not an emergency.” The elevator doors closed and started to descend without Steve needing to indicate a floor. Jarvis was in control. “I just have something to tell him.”

“As you wish sir.”

Jarvis remained silent as the elevator slid down the tower, slowing as it neared the bottom. Steve thought about how to phrase what he felt, running through words and constructing sentences. 

He’d been lost in his own head when the doors opened, still unprepared.

Steve stepped away from the elevators, seeing Tony off in the distance behind the glass tinkering with a piece of… something. He was lost in his own head as well, humming to himself as he worked over the metal with a screwdriver.

Steve got as close as he could to Tony without the other man catching on that he’d arrived. He watched from just behind the glass as he worked, twisting the screws and moving the mechanics. He didn’t stick with it long, opting for another part of what was now clear to Steve. The chest plate from one of Tony’s Iron Man suits.  
He could feel his courage fading and knew he’d have to speak soon. He just needed to find a way to break the silence.

“Jarvis told me you were coming when you were running towards the tower. Since Loki’s invasion I’ve had him on high alert. Sorry Cap, but there’s no sneaking up on me.”  
Steve smiled. Of course Tony had outdone him yet again.

“Was something chasing you?”

Tony put the armor down and turned to face Steve. 

His face was red from the running and his breathing was still a little ragged. He tried to speak, but he couldn’t form words. He was really thirsty.

Steve saw all this and moved towards him, guiding Steve to the work stool to sit. He pulled a bottle of water from the mini fridge he kept tucked neatly in the corner a few yards away. Tony opened it for the Captain and handed it to him.

“That was a lot of running for a man your age.” Tony joked. “What was so important.”

“I have something to say, and I want to make sure I get it all out so please don’t interrupt me until I’m finished.”

Tony remained silent, looking down at the man still struggling with catching his breath and finding the words.

“I think I like you. What I mean to say is that I like you. Like really like you. I know that I like you, that we’ve have some real fun nights staying up and watching whole seasons of television shows and tinkering in your workshop. And I know we work well together and we’re able to bounce off one another in combat like real partners should. That we often know what the other is thinking or going to say before they say it. Like how you’re looking at me right now like I’m rambling and not making much sense and you think it’s funny. But I know you understand. That you get what I’m getting at. And I know all that comes pretty easy. And I want to see if we can explore that a little more, but I’m worried that you don’t feel the same way. That maybe you’ve just been being really kind to me and that you do think I’m crazy and that we just work well together and it means nothing. So I’m asking. “Steve took a breath, slowing down his ramble to focus. “I’m asking if you feel the same way.”

Steve took a deep breath, his full weight now resting on the stool. He felt his courage leave him as he spoke, the fear and regret slowing seeping into its place. He looked Tony in the eye.

Tony’s expression was unreadable and Steve wasn’t about to try. The ‘Fight or Flight’ instincts were taking over. He dropped his face into his hands, muttering to himself about how he should have just gone home. He stood to leave just as Tony stepped closer, closing the gap between them and planting a soft, sweet kiss to the Captain’s lips.

“I have been waiting for so long to do that.”

Steve’s hand reached out in search of Tony’s, grasping onto him to keep him close. Tony obliged, their fingers interlocking as he continued.

“I like you too, and I’d very much like to explore a variety of things with you.” 

Steve blushed and hid his face from view while Tony smiled and began to tug Steve towards the elevator.

“How about we get out of the garage. I’ll get cleaned up, we’ll make dinner and you can tell me what happened to you today.”

“I could live with that.”

Jarvis had the elevator waiting and the two men entered together. Steve waited for the doors to close and the box to begin it’s assent before taking Tony by the waist and bringing him in for another, more exploratory, kiss. 

Admitting that seeing Tony slightly sweaty and covered in shop grease turned him on would be the next step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That is it.  
> It's not great, but it's finished.


End file.
